Fated
by tamilnadu09
Summary: Elena wakes up in a world where nearly everyone she's ever known is gone. Mostly canon, with a sprinkling of AU. Elejah. Future fic. One-shot written for siberia21.


**A/N: This is a late xmas gift for siberia21, who has always been so supportive of my writing and asked me to try my hand at an Elejah fic. I've never written them before, but I'm sure my twitter friends know that Elejah is (and always will be) my tvd crackship. I know its not everyone's thing, but hopefully you'll enjoy it anyway ;)**

 **p.s. I've had this idea in my head for a while, and it's a weird mix of AU and canon, but let me say upfront that I don't watch the originals so this fic does not take into account anything that happens on that show.**

* * *

 _Year 2054_

No one had come to visit her for years, not since they'd all said goodbye. She understood, of course. She knew they'd had to put her somewhere safe so that whatever evil creature they fought against over the years couldn't use her as a bargaining chip.

Which was why she was shocked when she heard footsteps crunching behind her in the grass.

She turned around in alarm, her eyes widening when she saw Stefan strolling towards her. She studied him as he approached—he was smiling at her, but the smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "The cemetery, huh?" Stefan took a seat next to her on the ground, bumping her shoulder with his. "A little on the nose, don't you think?"

Elena smiled back at him—a true smile, because that was just something _so_ Stefan to say—and shook her head. "I've missed you."

He reached out to take her hand, "We all wrote to you, just like you asked. Every month, every year." He gave her a familiar grin, "So you've got a lot of reading to do when you get back."

She frowned at his attempt to lighten the situation. "It can't be time already."

He looked away from her and into the distance, which had started to get blurry. "You'll be waking up any second now."

"Bonnie? She's…" Elena swallowed back tears, "It's sooner than I expected. What happened?"

Stefan's face blurred and Elena blinked hard, grabbing onto his hand to make sure he was still there. "I'll tell you when you wake up," he whispered, "See you on the flip side."

And then he was gone.

.

With a gasp, she flew upright, her heart beating frantically as she looked around the room. "Hey, you're okay, you're okay," someone was saying, "Breathe, you're human, Elena, you need to breathe."

 _Human_.

 _Right._

Elena took a deep breath and slowly let it out, focusing now on Stefan's face. He nodded in encouragement and glanced over her shoulder at someone. He subtly shook his head once and reached out for something. Then he was handing her a tall glass of water. "Drink," he said, holding onto the glass until she had firmly grasped it with both hands. "Slowly."

She shakily took a sip of the water, calming down enough to take in her surroundings. "The boarding house," she said, relaxing slightly at this familiarity. "It looks the same."

"You know me," Stefan replied, taking a seat on the coffee table. "I was never big on change." He took the glass from her and set it down on the floor, watching her carefully. "How do you feel?"

"I'm okay," Elena said, allowing him to help her into a sitting position. She looked around the room, her gaze landing on two boxes piled high with what looked like journals. She stretched her hand out for them, "Are those for me?"

Stefan nodded, nudging the boxes closer to her with his foot. "There's journals from all of us," he said, averting his gaze. "Me, Caroline, Alaric, Bonnie…Damon."

Elena picked up the journal sitting at the top of the closest box, but didn't open it. "Tell me," she said simply, "What happened to them?"

"Damon, he's…" Stefan's face contorted in pain, "Gone."

Her heart sank. "How?" she whispered, reaching out to touch Stefan's hand, "Please, I need to know."

Stefan shook his head, his voice becoming thick. "The idiot made a deal with the devil to save my life." He wiped a hand over his face, "Pretty stupid of him, huh?"

Elena smiled, even as her eyes filled with tears. "I knew he would go and do something stupid without me." She stood up and enveloped Stefan in a hug. At least in this, she could share his pain.

* * *

Elena sat in the corner booth of a nearly empty bar, feeling extremely out of place. It wasn't even that she'd never been here before—but more that she had forgotten what it was like to be around…people.

"You're here!" Caroline's excited squeal echoed down the bar, and Elena grinned as she rose to her feet to greet her best friend.

"I missed you too," Elena laughed as Caroline embraced her tightly, "Hey, human being who needs to breathe, remember?"

"Oh, right," Caroline pulled back apologetically, though her eyes were beaming with happiness. "God, Elena, I…" she started and then stopped, shaking her head even as a single tear slid down her cheek. "There are no words for how happy I am to see you."

"I read some of your journals," Elena sank back down into the booth, feeling tired. Caroline shot her a small look of concern before taking the seat across from her. "I started at the beginning."

Her friend smiled, though it was tinged with sadness. "Pretty crazy, huh?"

"You had _twins_ ," Elena whispered, "Actual daughters." She reached out to hold Caroline's hands, "I bet you were a terrific mom."

"We did our best," Caroline sniffed a little, and groaned. "Look at me getting all teary eyed when you're the one who returned from the dead." She angrily swiped away at the tears falling down her cheeks, "I'm such an embarrassment."

"Hey, no," Elena admonished, squeezing her friend's hands. "I came all the way out here to see _you_ , my best friend." She leaned back in her seat, pride glimmering in her eyes. "I always knew you would make it, Caroline. After all these years, through all the loss and heartbreak…you're still standing strong."

"That's why I love her," a familiar voice said from behind Elena and she stiffened slightly, watching as Klaus came around the corner and slid into the booth next to Caroline.

Elena bit her lip, aware that both of her companions were closely watching for her reaction. "Klaus," she said formally, "It's…been a long time."

"Welcome to New Orleans, Elena." He looked her over, then offered her a grin as though they were sharing a private joke, "And welcome back to the land of the living, so to speak."

Elena didn't reply, and Caroline shifted nervously. "Okay guys, I kinda need my best friend to get along with my fiancé, so…"

Elena folded her hands together, attempting to be polite. "Thank you, Klaus." She cleared her throat, "I'm just trying to get used to all the changes around here." She gestured vaguely at nothing in particular. "I'm sure you understand."

"Certainly," Klaus replied, glancing at Caroline who was glaring at him pointedly. He straightened, "And of course, I'd like to offer my condolences for your loss."

Elena was strongly tempted to say 'which one,' but she held her tongue and merely nodded her head in acknowledgement.

"Well," he stood, but not before brushing a kiss onto Caroline's cheek. "I'll let you ladies get back to catching up." He turned towards Elena, and the closest thing she'd ever seen to sincerity crossed his face. "For what it's worth, I do know something about loss, and I am truly sorry for what you've had to wake up to."

Elena opened her mouth to say 'thank you,' but the words wouldn't come. She sighed and looked away, noticing the disappointment that flashed across Caroline's face as she did so.

"Wait," Elena called as Klaus began walking away. He paused, turning to look at her curiously. She stood slowly and crossed her arms. "There were a lot of things I expected to wake up to, but I won't lie and say this was one of them."

He inclined his head once, "I understand."

"But Caroline is my best friend," Elena swallowed hard, "The only one I have left, really, besides Stefan." Her voice broke, but she didn't let the tears fall—wouldn't let them fall, not in front of someone who had ruined so many things in her life. "Everyone I ever loved in my life is gone, either they were killed before my coma or they've died in the meantime."

Klaus was staring at her, and she was startled to see an odd mix of regret and sympathy in his expression. She turned to look back at Caroline, whose own eyes were glassy with unshed tears. "So if someone in my life can find happiness, after all the hell that we've been through, then…" She took a deep breath, "Then I'm happy for them, too."

"Thank you," Caroline scrambled out of the booth to give her another hug. Then she beamed, "I was thinking about a party tonight, to welcome you back! What do you think?"

Elena tried to smile, but it wouldn't come. "I'm just not really in a partying mood," she said gently to her friend, "But thank you." Caroline's face fell, but Elena was already pulling away. "I really only came to see you—and to thank you, for writing everything down—just like…just like I asked." The tears that had been pooling in her eyes finally spilled over and Elena wiped them away in frustration. "Sorry," she whispered, "I just need a few minutes alone."

Without looking back at either of them, Elena hurried outside and down the alley next to the bar until she got to the back of the establishment. It was quiet here, just how she liked it. If she concentrated hard enough, the noise from the busy streets of NOLA faded and she could pretend…pretend that she hadn't woken up yet.

 _Pretend that everyone in her life wasn't dead._

 _._

She didn't know how long she sat there, her eyes closed. Everything around her—the smells, the sounds—all became muted, leaving her with just her imagination.

But she still heard a door close distantly in the background, still heard the soft footsteps that padded in her direction, still heard the sharp intake of breath from whomever stood in front of her.

She opened her eyes slowly.

To say that he looked shocked would've been an understatement.

"Elena."

He stressed the 'E' in her name, as he'd always done. His voice was low, familiar—and a reminder of a previous life. She couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips as the nostalgia swirled between them.

"Elijah."

"When my brother told me I might find you back here, I could scarce believe it," he took a step towards her, his eyes darkly intense as he studied her. Elena tried to meet his gaze at first but eventually looked away, somehow feeling as though he could see something that neither Caroline nor Stefan had.

"Forgive me," Elijah said immediately, looking contrite. He stepped back, "You came out here to be alone."

"No—I mean, yes," Elena sighed, folding her arms and looking anywhere but at him. "I just needed a few minutes to myself. It's been a lot to take in."

Elijah looked like he was choosing his words carefully. "Well, you might not be aware, but I know a little something about waking up and realizing the world has passed you by."

Elena looked up sharply, realization washing over her. "When you were daggered," she breathed, "I forgot."

His brow was furrowed as he stared at the ground. "It's difficult," he said, "Waking up to a world that is completely different than the one you last remember…realizing that everyone you knew has passed on." He raised his head to look at her, "How are you feeling?"

She shrugged, feeding him the same line she'd given Stefan and Caroline, "I'm okay...as well as can be expected at any rate." Elijah didn't say anything for a long moment, and she finally looked at him. He was staring at her, a thoughtful look on his face. "What?"

He took a few steps towards her, stopping only when he was inches away. "You're human again."

"So?" Elena tipped her head up defiantly, ready for whatever speech he was going to give her about how 'it wasn't safe' for her to be in NOLA. "Klaus already knows," she continued, "He's not after my blood anymore."

"You mistake me," Elijah said, reaching down to hold her wrist. She looked down in confusion until she realized his thumb was stroking her pulse point. "Your heart beat, Elena," he murmured, and his words were a familiar echo. Elena closed her eyes, remembering—remembering that previous life. _It jumps when you're being dishonest with me._

She sighed, "I guess I didn't think this whole being human thing through, did I? I mean if someone I haven't seen in over 40 years knows when I'm _lying_ …"

Elijah didn't smile. He took both her hands within his, studying her expression. "You're not alright."

Elena bit on her lower lip, hard enough to draw blood. When she saw Elijah's gaze dart to her mouth, she knew she had. "I'm not," she mumbled, staring down to where her hands were engulfed in his. "I don't think I'll ever be alright."

He drew her into his embrace, even as fresh tears spilled down her cheeks. "I know it seems that way now," he said quietly, "But you'll find a way back to yourself." His grip on her tightened, "You always do."

.

She stayed in NOLA for another month, reading her journals and catching up with Caroline. They mourned Bonnie together. "She tried to help Damon, you know," Caroline tearfully told her one night, a night after too much drinking. "She tried to stop him from giving himself over to Cade for good, but his mind was made up."

Elena nodded, the alcohol long ago numbing her to the pain of reality. "He did it for Stefan," she said softly, "I get it."

"No," Caroline's words slurred, but she sounded as serious as she'd ever been. "It was for you. Every good thing he did, it was for you." Elena didn't say anything, but underneath the numbness, she felt it—the pain. Pain for the girl she used to be. Pain for the girl whose sole mission in life had been to see the good in people.

"It's getting late," she mumbled, "I should head to bed."

But Caroline's hand shot out, grabbing her wrist tightly—perhaps stronger than she would have, had she been sober. "The guilt keeps me awake at night, Elena," she whispered, her eyes shining in the dim light. "Damon made this huge sacrifice so that Stefan would be happy and…" She screwed up her face, "I wanted to be that person for him, you know? The girl that he could love for the rest of his life."

She dropped Elena's hand, and Elena stood there uncertainly, too taken aback to move away. "You have to do what makes you happy, Caroline." A dull roar began in her ears and she shook her head to clear it. "Why spend an eternity with someone if you're going to end up resenting them?"

Caroline nodded, her eyes wide. "You've always been so smart, Elena," she sighed, slumping over the table. "I'm so glad you're back." Then she promptly fell asleep.

Elena stared at her best friend for a few more seconds, then stood up and began walking back on wobbly legs to the room she was staying in above the bar.

She wanted to say she was surprised to see Elijah step out from the shadows, but in truth, she wasn't. She stopped and let him come to her, his dark gray suit a stark contrast to the bar around them.

"Don't," she said when he opened his mouth to speak. "I know what you're going to say, and just don't."

Elijah tilted his head, considering. "And what would that be, exactly?"

"That I'm drowning my sorrows in alcohol," Elena tossed back at him, her tone biting. "I didn't come here because I needed protection, _Elijah_. Stefan was doing quite enough of that back home."

Elijah didn't say anything for a moment. He slid his hands in his pockets, not quite looking at her. "You still consider Mystic Falls your home, then?"

His words brought her up short, somehow permeating through the fogginess brought on by the alcohol. She'd always considered home to be somewhere surrounded by her friends and family. And now…Mystic Falls had neither of those things.

She was no fool—she knew Stefan was no longer living at the boarding house. Both Klaus and Caroline had been skimpy on the details, but she had discerned that Stefan and Rebekah had gotten back together at some point over the years. Stefan had only brought her to the boarding house so she would have somewhere familiar to wake up to—but it certainly wasn't somewhere he called home.

Just like it was no longer her home, either.

Elena stood there, staring at Elijah, knowing he was waiting for her answer—and knowing at the same time that he would be able to read the answer from her face. But still, he waited for her to say the words out loud. "It's not," she said hoarsely, "I don't…I don't know where my home is anymore."

His expression flickered, "You have friends here, Elena."

She frowned, staring down at the ground and listening as his footsteps moved closer to her. It was only when he reached out to touch her arm that she looked up to meet his gaze.

"Stay here, for a little while longer at least," he offered, "You'll be…" He trailed off, but she could hear his unsaid word anyway. _Safe._

.

So she stayed another month. More details about her friends' deaths emerged slowly. It was hard for Caroline to talk about, and she only spilled details when she was plastered. Which meant that Elena spent a good amount of time being too drunk for her own good.

It was the hardest to hear about Jeremy's death and Elena got especially drunk for that, temporarily forgetting that she couldn't handle vampire-levels of alcohol any longer.

"Ladies," Klaus appeared next to them at the bar, his tone pleasant enough, though the underlying concern was evident. "I've told the bartender to cut you off."

Caroline scowled, "Oh come on, Klaus, give her a break, she just made me tell her how Jeremy died."

Elena flinched, reaching blindly for her glass, but someone moved it out of her reach. She stared at it in consternation before swiveling on her stool to see Elijah standing behind her. She scoffed, "You had to bring in the reinforcements, Klaus?"

"I wasn't the only one who was worried about you, love," was all he said in reply. Elena rolled her eyes, watching him lead Caroline away. "Before you say anything," she said sternly to Elijah, "I'm _fine_."

Elijah placed one hand on the bar, and the other on her knee. She peered down at it, feeling the warmth on her skin and thinking—in some small part of her brain—that it felt nice.

"You told me last time to refrain from telling you not to…what was it again…oh yes, drown your sorrows in alcohol," he growled, "But I cannot stand idly by any longer. What you're doing, it's not healthy." She glared, but he didn't retreat. "You can't forget that you're human, Elena."

At that, she lost it. "How can I?" she shouted, shoving him back and stumbling off the barstool in anger. "How can I forget I'm the freaking human doppelganger who was stuck in a stupid magical freaking coma for years while everyone died around me?" She knew she sounded out of control, but she didn't stop, "How can I forget that I was supposed to grow old with Damon and be in love and have kids and have a whole life with him but now he's dead too and I'm just…just—"

She broke off, breathing hard. "There's nothing for me here anymore," she said in realization, and she didn't know if she was talking to Elijah or herself. "Tyler, Matt, Jeremy, Alaric, Bonnie, Damon…they're all gone. Everyone who I said goodbye to, they're all gone."

Elijah was in front of her now, and if she'd been even a little bit sober, maybe she would have noticed how panicked he looked. "Your best friend Caroline is _still here_ ," he grabbed her shoulders, almost painfully tight. "Your first love Stefan is _still here."_ He shook her once, "For heaven's sakes Elena, look at me."

Elena complied, but she couldn't bring herself to feel anything about what he'd just uttered. "You told me once that you could tell when I'm being dishonest with you," she said flatly, "So here's the truth." He loosened his grip on her and she stepped back, away from him. "I'm tired," she said plainly, "I'm tired of pretending to be okay with everything. I'm tired of pretending to be the girl I used to be. I'm tired of hearing how everyone died and having to accept that I wasn't there to do anything about it. I'm just…" she shrugged, "Tired."

"Elena, please." She blinked then, confused about the pleading tone in his voice. He was begging, she realized with a start. And she'd never heard him plead for anything before. Not like this.

She frowned as he cautiously approached her again, as though scared she was going to run off. She didn't move away, even when he took her hands within his. He didn't say anything for a long while, and she didn't either. "I've lost people too," he said finally, and she recognized the pain in his voice. "Not just my brothers, but women that I've loved." His gaze flicked to hers, "I know you thought I was a fool for loving Katherine, and maybe I was."

Elena pressed her lips together, but still said nothing.

"I loved another, after Katherine," he went on, and now the pain was unmistakable. "Her name was Hayley," he paused, and the silence was deafening. "She's gone now, too."

Elena's heart twinged then, feeling his pain as though it were her own. "I'm sorry, Elijah."

He swallowed, and when he met her gaze, the intensity that she saw there was unlike anything she'd seen before. "I can't…" he shook his head and a muscle ticked in his jaw. "No, I _won't_ stand by and lose another person I care about."

She closed her eyes, "Elijah…"

He was still holding her hands, but he let her go now. "It would be a shame," he said hesitatingly, waiting…waiting for her to remember. And she did, her non humanity memories blending in with who she was now, distant words crawling out of the recesses of her mind, flickering behind her eyelids. _It would be a shame if the world lost a soul as compassionate as yours._

She opened her eyes, showing him that she remembered. "I don't feel very compassionate," she admitted, her voice small. "I feel like I've lost a part of myself, of what made me…well, _me_."

Shadows flickered across Elijah's face as the moonlight from the window shifted, leaving half his face in darkness. "You need time to heal," he murmured, "No matter what you feel now, your compassion is who you are, Elena."

Elena stared at his face, but in the darkness she couldn't discern his expression. "I'm sorry for telling you I enjoyed burning the letter," she said abruptly, "I shouldn't have said that…shouldn't have done that."

"No matter," he said lightly, "I daresay I remember every word." He smiled at her then, his expression softening. "I carry enough regret for the both of us, Elena," he reached out to touch the side of face, "You don't need to share that burden."

Elena couldn't help herself from leaning into his touch, and she almost immediately felt his body tense. He dropped his arm to his side, looking away from her, "Good night, Elena."

Then he blurred away.

* * *

Two weeks later, she walked back into the boarding house. Stefan wasn't there, not that she had expected him to be. She blew dust off the note he'd left on the sofa ( _It's your house as much as it's mine_ — _S)_ and went upstairs to pack whatever few things she had left.

She wasn't sure where exactly she was headed, but she knew she couldn't stay here. She had begrudgingly gone to Klaus' office that morning before leaving NOLA and asked him where his brother had been hiding for the past two weeks. Klaus had looked at her with something akin to pity, but would only say that Elijah was out of town on business.

She didn't ask him for further details.

"I can pass along a message if you want," Klaus had called after her as she exited his office.

Elena had paused and said without turning back, "Tell him I said goodbye."

And now she was back in Mystic Falls; a town filled with strangers, a town filled with memories that she couldn't share with anyone. She finished packing a single suitcase and was just heading out the door when she turned back on a whim. She flipped over the note that Stefan had left and scrawled a message on the back. ( _See you on Christmas_ — _E)._

 _._

She traveled for a year, going to all the countries she'd always wanted to go to but never had the time or means to. Sometimes she ran into Klaus and Caroline. It seemed like he'd stuck to his promise to show her the world.

It was strange to be human and know that vampires and witches and werewolves existed, but for once not to be involved in anything that was constantly life and death. It was kind of...nice.

True to her word, however, she returned to Mystic Falls on Christmas Eve. The boarding house looked uninhabited from the outside, but she knew without a doubt that Stefan would've been in at some point in the last 8 months and seen her note.

Sure enough, he was already sitting inside when she let herself in. He rose and greeted her warmly, pressing a kiss to the side of her hair. Rebekah was behind him, though the greeting she gave Elena was significantly less warm.

"How are you?" Stefan said seriously once she had taken a seat across from him. "Where've you been?"

"Everywhere," Elena answered with a smile, "And I'm fine. Truly."

"My brother said he ran into you in London last month," Rebekah said, daintily picking imaginary lint off her red dress. "I hope you don't mind, but I've invited him and Caroline here for Christmas."

Elena frowned, not particularly keen to spend Christmas with Klaus, of all people.

At that moment, the doorbell rang. "Ah, that should be them now," Rebekah hopped to her feet and nearly skipped to the door. Elena narrowed her eyes after the blonde, who looked suspiciously pleased about something.

"Welcome you guys," Rebekah was saying, "Brother, you're looking well." There was a pause, then she amended, "Both of you are. And Caroline, love that dress. Mine is better of course, but..."

Elena froze.

Stefan, who was facing the door, got to his feet. "Elijah, I didn't know you'd be joining us."

Elena didn't bother to hear his response. "Caroline, good to see you," she gave her friend a hug, and nodded at Klaus. "Let me take your coats upstairs."

"Oh, you don't have to—"

"No, I insist," she cut off Stefan's protests and hurriedly headed upstairs to one of the spare guest rooms. She tossed the coats on the bed without a second thought and sank down onto it, covering her eyes.

She didn't need enhanced vampire senses to hear someone's footsteps creaking up the staircase. The footsteps paused outside the room she was in, and the door slowly swung open. She waited for Caroline to ask her what her problem was, but no one said anything. Elena finally looked up to see not Caroline, but Elijah framing the doorway.

She stared back at him stonily.

He muttered something under his breath and then stepped into the room, closing the door behind him.

She got to her feet, "Actually, I was just leaving."

He didn't turn around, didn't move a muscle. "Take a seat."

Elena crossed her arms, "No."

Elijah turned then, keeping one hand on the door. "You're angry with me. Why?"

"I'm not," she replied blandly, "I just have nothing to say to you."

His eyebrows drew together, "Why did you leave New Orleans?"

Elena blinked, not expecting that question. "As I told Caroline—who I'm sure told Klaus—I had been there long enough. It was time for me to figure out where home was. Or at the very least, to figure out what my place in the world was."

Elijah moved further into the room, though he didn't look at her. "You could have made NOLA into your home."

"Just because Caroline lives there doesn't mean that—"

"It wasn't just Caroline who was there," his voice was sharp now.

She felt it then, that same pull that she'd felt the last time they had spoken. "Don't act like I'm the one who ran away from something," she snapped, inexplicably angry. "You're the one who disappeared for two weeks!"

"I was dealing with business," he said stiffly, "I wasn't—"

"What?" She wasn't aware she had crossed the room, but suddenly she was in front of him and she shoved him, hard. "Your compassion is a gift, Elena," she mimicked, "Carry it with you always and forever, Elena." She was shouting now, but she didn't care. "Maybe you should get some damn compassion!"

There was utter silence.

"Elena," he said quietly.

"Don't say it."

"I'm sorry."

She looked up then and saw that he was. "Then why did you leave?" she demanded, "I had just finished telling you how literally everybody in my life was gone and you—"

Her voice broke at the same time that understanding flashed across his face. "I didn't mean to abandon you," he said swiftly, "I would never do that."

"Yeah, well you did," she hissed, "So much for a man of _honor_."

She raised her hands to shove him again, but he suddenly grabbed her wrists and gently lowered her arms. He still wouldn't look at her, "You had only been back a few months, Elena. You said yourself that you didn't feel like…your true self."

She frowned, having no idea where he was going with this. But then she felt him stroke the inside of her wrist, "You keep forgetting I can hear your heartbeat."

Elena shook her head, her brow furrowed in confusion, "I haven't forgotten."

Elijah finally met her gaze, and she drew in an unsteady breath as he stepped closer. He hadn't let go of her hand. "That night, I heard it quicken when I touched your face," he said in a low voice, "Just as I can hear it quicken now as I stand before you."

She flushed, but stared back at him in determination. "What if it does?" she challenged.

"It's not…" Elijah's jaw clenched, "I already told you how many people I've lost, Elena. I wouldn't be able to handle it if..."

"What makes you think you'd lose me?" The words came out before she had time to think about them, and too late she realized the implications of her being human again.

He watched her make the connections, in the same way that he always knew what she was thinking. "If my enemies ever learned how much I cared for you—a human—they would use you against me, and I couldn't bear it if something happened to you because me." He let her wrists go, and she felt cool air flow over her skin. "I'm sorry, Elena."

"You don't get to choose for me," Elena refuted, her voice wavering slightly. "I get to choose this life if I want it."

Elijah was inches away from her, so close that she could see his eyes darken at her words. "Elena," his voice was rough, "I…" He trailed off when she placed her hands on the lapels of his suit and pulled him towards her. His eyes closed as he rested his forehead against hers, murmuring her name before his lips brushed against hers in the barest of kisses.

Even as her lips parted, allowing him to deepen the kiss, her mind flashed back, memories of their first kiss—when he had thought she was Katherine—mingling with their current kiss.

She pulled back and he briefly looked confused. "I'm not..." She stopped and tried again, "I'm not her."

His expression cleared, "I know." They stared at each other for a beat longer. As she watched, she saw his gaze drop to her mouth. She felt herself flush again, and his eyes narrowed. "Mate, I can hear you out there."

There were some mutterings outside the door before Caroline said triumphantly, "Klaus, you owe me $20, I _told you_ it was only a matter of time before—"

"Yeah, even I can hear you," Elena called out, hiding her amusement while Elijah looked positively scandalized.

"You'll have to excuse my brother's poor manners," Elijah said, his head tilted as he listened to the footsteps scurry away down the stairs. His hands had landed on her waist and he pulled her closer, gazing at her with a small smile.

"What?" she asked self-consciously, "Why are you looking at me like that?"

"Nothing, it's just..." Elijah leaned forward to press a kiss to her forehead, "A year ago you said you felt like you were missing a part of yourself." His thumb stroked her cheek, and if she hadn't been paying attention, she would've missed the slight tremble of his hand. She hid her surprise. For the first time in her life, the great Elijah Mikealsen was actually...unsure of himself.

And it was because of _her_.

But all she said was, "I remember."

"I see you now and I see how far you've come in rebuilding yourself, in becoming who you want to be." Elijah visibly swallowed, "I'm proud of you, Elena. And I hope...I hope you'll allow me to be a part of your journey moving forward."

Elena nodded slowly, knowing what he was asking of her. "I want you to be," she murmured, "Always."

He didn't say anything, but the unsaid word fluttered between them anyway, the whisper of a promise. _Forever._

* * *

 ***thank you to siberia21 for encouraging me write this, as I've wanted to write an Elejah fic for years (ever since S3 I believe) and now I finally have! I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out, I only hope I got their characterizations right. Thanks for reading and be sure to drop a review! happy holidays everyone. xoxo**


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